Method and apparatus for developing and improving place kicking skills in soccer goal kicking

ABSTRACT

A training apparatus for place kicking in soccer has a goal frame including a first vertical post, a second vertical post spaced apart and connected at the tops to a horizontal cross bar, a soccer netting attached to the first and second vertical posts and to the horizontal cross bar, two or more vertical straps attached at one end to the cross bar and staked to the ground at the opposite ends thereof, two or more diagonal and or horizontal straps attached to the first and second vertical posts and residing there between, and two or more visible targets strategically attached to the soccer netting. The vertical straps and the horizontal straps intersecting to create multiple visible target zones, the two or more targets attached strategically to the soccer netting within the visible footprints of individual ones or a plurality of the created target zones.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS

The present application is a Continuation -in-Part of pending U.S.application Ser. No. 16/501,997, filed Aug. 28, 2019. All disclosure ofthe parent application is incorporated herein at least by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is in the field of soccer player self-developmentin the area of scoring goals.

2. Discussion of the State of the Art

The game of soccer, also referred to as futbol (soccer) internationally,is one of the most popular sports, especially so in the professionalarena. Soccer is played globally by both men and women of all ages. Boysand girls begin playing at an incredibly young age and continue to playthrough adulthood. As in any other sport, soccer is taught by coachesfor various player positions such as goalkeeper, midfield, defender, andforward that require specific techniques of playing. Often a coachingteam is required for specific and focused expertise in the differentplayer positions each carrying specific responsibilities required for anoverall successful team effort.

When a team is awarded a free kick or a penalty kick, a player isallowed by the calling referee to place the ball at specified locationon the soccer field and kick it toward the goal that is defended only bya goalkeeper by rule. When a ball is kicked, its trajectory or path isnot always a straight line and the desired trajectory is at least partlydependent on various parameters like wind direction and speed, spin onthe ball, zone of foot-to-ball contact by the shooter, foot angle atcontact with the ball, elevation of foot-to-ball contact point withreference to the regulation ball size, etc.

It takes extensive practice under watchful coaches for a player tomaster the art of statistically high scoring with a penalty kick. Achallenge exists in that players expected to practice off time toimprove their skills between team practices often involve broader ormore generalized apparatus and methods for single actions of a soccerplayer. It would be desired that a method to keep track of the kickingtechnique and the accuracy of kicking be available to players off timethat would enable faster development of the various skills to help aplayer to score consistently or with higher statistical probability. Aclearly defined method for enhancing kicking or shooting skills withreference to penalty scoring opportunities does not exist in the currentart.

Therefore, what is clearly needed is a soccer ball kicking skillsdevelopment system including method and apparatus that may be practicedby players without dependence upon resources like special coaching.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A training apparatus for place kicking in soccer is provided including arigid goal frame including a first vertical post, a second vertical postspaced apart and connected at the tops to a horizontal cross bar, asoccer netting attached to the first and second vertical posts and tothe horizontal cross bar, two or more vertical straps attached at oneend to the cross bar and staked to the ground at the opposite endsthereof, two or more diagonal and or horizontal straps attached to thefirst and second vertical posts and residing there between, and two ormore visible targets strategically attached to the soccer netting. Thetwo or more vertical straps and the two or more horizontal strapsintersect to create multiple visible target zones, the two or moretargets attached strategically to the soccer netting within the visiblefootprints of individual ones or a plurality of the created targetzones.

In one embodiment, the rigid goal frame is a rectangular structure of aregulation size relative to width dimension and height dimension forrepresenting a soccer goal frame. In one embodiment, the soccer nettingis attached to the first and second vertical posts and to the horizontalcross bar at multiple attachment locations provided linearly and inequal spacing around the rectangular frame. In one embodiment, the rigidgoal frame is fabricated of a polymer material or a metallic materialand the soccer netting is fabricated of a polymer material or a fabricmaterial.

In one embodiment, the two or more vertical straps are staked to theground with ground hooks or stakes. In one embodiment, the two or morevertical straps are strategically positioned along the span of thehorizontal cross bar, the cross bar having multiple attachment pointsarranged linearly and equally spaced apart across the span of the crossbar. In this embodiment, the two or more horizontal straps arestrategically positioned along the vertical span of the first and secondvertical posts, the vertical posts having multiple attachment pointsarranged linearly and equally spaced apart across the vertical span ofthe first and second vertical posts. In one embodiment, the two or morevisible targets include larger targets and smaller targets. In oneembodiment, the two or more visible targets are fabricated from apolymer material or a fabric material.

In one embodiment, the training apparatus further includes acomputerized processing unit (CPU), a power source, and a set ofinstructions residing on a medium coupled to or otherwise residing onthe CPU, and multiple strike sensors or switches connected one per tothe two or more targets, the sensors or switches communicating to theCPU when triggered by a ball strike using a wireless network or throughmultiple wires or traces connecting the sensors or switches to the CPU.

In a variation of the just described embodiment including a CPU, thetraining apparatus further includes a first video camera positionedbehind a player in front of the training apparatus, the first camerare-strapping video of the player taking shots on goal and sending thevideo or at least metrics of motion in the video to the CPU using awireless network or a communication cable. In a further variation to theembodiment, the training apparatus further includes a second videocamera positioned to one side or the other side of the player in frontof the training apparatus, the second camera re-strapping video of theplayer taking shots on goal and sending the video or at least metrics ofmotion in the video to the CPU using a wireless network or acommunication cable.

In one embodiment including the CPU and video re-strapping cameras, themetrics of motion re-strapped by the first video camera includetrajectory, distance, and ball speed. In this embodiment, the metrics ofmotion re-strapped by the second video camera include foot angle of theplayer and elevation of the point of contact of the players foot to theball relative to ball dimensions, and foot placement. In an alternateembodiment including electronics or no, the two or more vertical,diagonal, and horizontal straps are attachable to the soccer netting asan option other than direct attachment to the rigid goal frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a soccer field depicting a soccer net and anarea proximal to a soccer net.

FIG. 2A is an elevation of the soccer net of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as beginners.

FIG. 2B is an elevation view of an alternative of FIG. 2A.

FIG. 2C is an elevation view of the soccer net of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as level 2 and orintermediate level players.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the soccer net of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as advanced level 2 players.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the soccer net of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as multiple level 9.1 and or9.2 players.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the soccer net of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as advanced multiple level10.1 and or 10.2 players.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the soccer net of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as semi pro 4.1 players.

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of the soccer net of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as semi pro 4.2 players.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In various embodiments described in enabling detail herein, the inventorprovides a unique system for self-development and refinement of soccershooting skills relative to goal scoring. It is a goal of the presentintention to provide a method for improving the skill of shooting asoccer ball into a soccer goal net from various points of the soccerfield where the soccer ball is placed for penalty kicks such as from thespot of a foul. It is a further goal of the invention to provide atraining regimen that focusses of strengthening a player's kicking powerand distance with accuracy without prematurely challenging the playeravoiding player injury. It is a further goal of the invention that aconcise method is provided for speeding development of the placed ballshooting techniques for players of different ages and experience levels.It is a further goal of the present invention to provide a system thatre-straps and incorporates the metrics of position of the player and theplayer's motions made in various aspects of shooting on goal. It is afurther goal of the invention to perceive movement of the goaliepreemptively (predicted motion) and reaction as a result of a kick tofurther optimize skill of the player to kick the soccer ball into a zoneof the rectangular frame of the face of a soccer goal that uponrepetition statistically would be beyond the reach of the goalkeeper.The present invention is described using the following examples, whichmay describe more than one relevant embodiment falling within the scopeof the invention.

FIG. 1 is a top view of a soccer field depicting the area proximal to asoccer goal (net) 100 enhanced with apparatus of the present invention.Soccer goal 100 may be provided in different sizes without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention. However typically,the goal frame of goal 100 is provided at twenty-four feet long measuredinside edge-to-inside edge of vertical posts and eight feet high fromground level to the bottom edge of the horizontal frame bar. The frameof goal 100 may be fabricated of aluminum or other durable materials andmay be assembled in some embodiments. The frame of goal 100 occupies avertical plane orthogonal to the surface soccer field or generalpractice field a player is practicing on and parallel to the field edge(if on a soccer field). Goal 100 also may have opposing angled orcornered sides and a top side as is well known with standard soccergoals. The frame goal supports a standard soccer scoring net whichincludes the cornered sides a top portion and a back portion.

In this embodiment, there are numerous areas marked on the field infront of goal 100. For example, a rectangular goal area (GA) isidentified by a physical rectangle 60 placed parallel to the goal frameof soccer goal 100. The goal area represents the area where the goaliemay move within when defending against a goal shot and may be providedin field regulation size or smaller if goal 100 is provided in a versionsmaller than regulation size, in which case the goal area would be ofproportionally relevant size.

A penalty mark (PM) is a point twelve yards front and center of goal 100where a referee places the soccer ball in the event of a classic penaltyshot taken if a foul is committed in a certain defined distance from thegoal line. A twelve-yard penalty line 120 is provided parallel to thegoal line and dissecting the penalty mark. A penalty area (PA) isprovided and defined by a rectangle 106 defining a rectangular areawhere in if a foul is committed against an offensive player dribbling orshooting the soccer ball, a penalty shot is awarded to the fouled playerby the referee. Rectangle 106 is 118 yards out from the goal line and isproportionally longer than the goal area rectangle 60 (GA) and holdstrue position with the goal area. Finally, a penalty arc (PA) isprovided that defines an arcuate area that is centered to the 18-yardline (106) extending outside of the penalty box. The specific yardageand feet dimensions recited throughout this specification may vary andthe invention is not specifically limited to these dimensions.

The identified areas in front of goal 100 may be physical marker tape,plastic fold-able rectangles, or painted or measured and drawn markswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Inone embodiment soccer cones may be used to reference the boundaries andarc and markers may be visualized from the cones without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention.

It is noted herein that the following examples depict apparatus fordissecting the area of the perpendicular goal frame for targetingpurposes bases on designated level of players and that the areas andmarks defined in front of goal 100 may be static or up to regulationsize for each level of skill represented.

FIG. 2A is an elevation of soccer goal 100 of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as beginners. In this view,the frame area of soccer goal 100 is dissected diagonally across theface of the frame of goal 100 using two physical straps 104 a and 104 bto create four target zones whereby each zone is provided with azone-central target represented herein as targets 103 a through 103 drepresenting the preferred landing points at the back of the soccer net102 for the soccer ball to hit after a shot relative to targeting eachzone. Straps 104 a and 104 b may be fabricated of a durable canvassmaterial and may be more strap like than strap like. Straps may besupported by inner cords running through two layers of strap material.Straps may be made of adhesive material, or may connect to the net invarious ways. Straps may be from 1-3″ in width. Net 102 may includesides 102 a and 102 b, as well as a top side 102 c. Targets may beplaced in these areas from the goal posts. Additional posts or seams maybe included that demarcate the two sides 102 a and 102 b, although theyare not shown in all figures for clarity.

In one embodiment, straps such as 104 a and 104 b are cut from anelastic strap of a sufficient diameter for player visibility purposes.Strap 104 a is attached at one end to the top of vertical post 107 a ofthe frame of goal 100 and at the other end to the bottom of verticalpost 107 b. Strap 104 b is attached at one end to the top of goal post107 b and at the other end to the bottom of goal post 107 a. Straps maybe attached in a variety of ways, including clips, hooks, hook and eyefabric systems such as Velcro™. Targets 103 a, 103 b, 103 d, and 103 care attached at approximate centers of the four respective target zones,the targets attached to net 102 in a variety of similar fasteningoptions as previously described.

It is duly noted herein that the system of the invention comprising thegoal 100 including straps 104 a and 104 b and targets 103 a through 103d are adapted for a beginner level, for example, soccer players aged 7through 10 (U10 team level referencing 10 and under). It is also notedthat the system of the invention may be set up and used by a player offtime without requiring a coach or observing personnel or it may be usedin a team practice and set up by a coach or assistant for forward andmid field shooting practice.

Referencing the areas depicted in front of goal 100 in FIG. 1 in lightof use relative to a beginner, a regulation size soccer ball for U10 maybe placed anywhere on line 120 (twelve yards from goal line) for aplayer who proceeds to kick the soccer ball repetitively from anyplacement point on the line 120 into the different target zones,preferably aiming for the central targets 103 a-103 d attached to thenet behind each zone. Multiple shots may be executed by the player fromany point along the twelve-yard line (120). Accuracy in hitting thetargets increases with practice using the system of the presentinvention. In one embodiment, a player may team up with a second playerto play the goalie wherein the player attempt to hit the target in thezone most likely to be out of the goalies reach. In another embodiment,a player may place a cone anywhere within rectangle 60 to represent thegoalie attempting to defend against the shots, each time aiming for thezone and target away from the position of the goalie.

FIGS. 2B-2C are an elevation view of soccer goal 100 of FIG. 2A withstraps and targets placed to guide players designated as level 2 and orintermediate level players. In this view, strap 104 a and strap 104 bare not modified from the configuration depicted in FIG. 2A above.However, a vertical strap 204 is provided to dissect the diagonalconfiguration 104 a, 104 b in half. Strap 204 may be of the samematerials as the other straps 104 a and 104 b, and may be attached to agrounded stake on the ground at one end and to the center of thehorizontal bar between posts 107 a and 107 b designated herein as (101)

In this embodiment, six target zones are created by adding 204 to theconfiguration. In correlation, six targets referenced herein as targets103 a, 203 a, 203 b, 203 c, 203 d, and 103 c are provided and attachedto net 102 one target per target zone, the target occupying substantialcenter of the host zone. Referring temporarily to FIG. 1, a soccer ballmay be placed anywhere on line 120 and the process repeats where theplayer kicks the placed ball into any one of the six target zones aimingat one of the six targets.

In one aspect, specific practice routines may be created. For example,two sets of three soccer balls might be placed in a spaced apart fashionon the twelve-yard line or further out on past the 18-yard line up to 20or 25 feet from the goal line where the two ball sets are placed atopposing sides at equal but opposite angles from the center of the goalframe of goal 100. In this light, a player may work both feet takingshots with the right foot with the ball set occupying the right side andtaking shots with the left foot with the ball set placed on the leftside, each shot aiming for a specific zone and target appropriate forthe angle and, perhaps the position of a goalie.

The objective of dissecting the configuration by adding 204 is to createa more challenging scenario more targets and same number of smallerzones around each target thereby sharpening the accuracy of the playersshots. The method for beginners and intermediate level 2 players may bethe same for beginners and level 2 players as described above wherein adifference between beginners and intermediate level might be ballplacement distances and angles from the goal line of goal 100.

For example, for intermediate level 3, the ball or ball sets may beplaced out to 35-40 or even 50-60 feet away from the goal line one theleft, right, or at center relative to the horizontal bar (101) of goal100. Ball sets may be spaced tightly or further apart along a horizontalline or along an arc without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention. The distance and angle of ball placement may also depend inpart on the known capacity or capability of a player relative to skillset.

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of soccer goal 100 of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as advanced level 2 players.This level may still be appropriate for more advanced players of ages7-10 years or U10. It may be noted that U12 may also use the sameconfigurations and ball placement metrics without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention. In this embodiment, the soccer frameof goal 100 is configured differently with no diagonal straps like 104 aand 104 b but with two vertical straps referenced herein as straps 304 aand 304 b similar to strap 204 of FIG. 2C. Additionally, there are twohorizontal straps provided and referenced herein as straps 306 a and 306b.

Vertical straps 304 a and 304 b are attached at one end to thehorizontal bar (101) of the frame of goal 100 and at the other end tostakes or ground hooks on the field. In a preferred configuration forthe level described, vertical strap 306 a is spaced vertically 6 feet orthereabout from goal post 107 a and vertical strap 304 b is spacedvertically 6 feet from goal post 107 b. Horizontal strap 306 a isattached between vertical posts 107 a and 107 b parallel to 101 spacedbelow it by 30 inches. Horizontal strap 306 b is attached between posts107 a and 107 b parallel with 101 and spaced about 30 inches up fromground level.

This configuration creates 9 rectangular target zones. Eight targets areattached to net 102 in this configuration, the targets referenced hereinas targets 303 a through 303 h. In this target arrangement, four oftargets 303 a through 303 h are located approximately at center and onetarget per in four of the nine target zones, namely targets 303 c, 303d, 303 g, and 303 h. In this configuration the center target zones donot host any targets because focus is instead given to the left andright posts at this level which is harder to defend from the perspectiveof a goalie. In the top left and top right target zones there are twotargets placed in each rectangular target zone. 303 a and 303 b spacedapart at the same elevation in the left most rectangular zone and 303 eand 303 g spaced apart at the same elevation in the right mostrectangular zone.

Targets 303 a through 303 h are shot at by advanced level 2 players fromdistances of 35 feet to 50 feet from the goal line ideally, however theplayer may also shoot at these targets from wherever the player feelscomfortable shooting from without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe present invention. As a player advances in skill level the playermay place the soccer ball incrementally further back from the goal lineand repeat the process. The player may not be advised to place the balltoo far from goal as that would require extreme effort in shooting theball and could cause muscle damage or soft tissue damage due to overeffort. Shots on goal should be executed with power and finesse and notbe labored.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of soccer goal 100 of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as multiple level 9.1 and or9.2 players. In this configuration there are two horizontal strapsattached between posts 107 a and 107 b. These straps are referencedherein as strap 403 a and 403 b. Strap 403 a is parallel to 101 andspaced approximately 31 inches below the cross bar. Strap 403 b is alsoparallel to 101 and is placed approximately 31 inches below strap 403 a.

In this configuration there are six vertical straps 404 a through 404 fall attached at one end to 101 and the other at ground stakes or hooks.In this arrangement for 9.1 level players, on the left of goal 100vertical straps 404 a, 404 b, and 404 c are spaced from vertical post P1toward center goal by two- and one-half feet, five feet, and 9 feet,respectively. On the other side of goal, vertical straps 404 f, 404 e,and 404 d are spaced from vertical post 107 b by the same dimensionscreating a symmetric zone.

In this configuration and at this level of 9.1 player, there are twotarget zones of the 21 created zones that are blocked (not supposed tohit) by no hit-targets 405 a on the left of middle and 405 b on theright of middle of goal 100. Hard targets such as those described aboveare not visible in this view but may be assumed present in any of theunblocked zones. In one embodiment a player simply focuses at this levelto hit each of the unblocked zones which may not require visible targetsattached to net 102. In this configuration and referring to FIG. 1,players may place the ball on the 18-yard line (106) and place kick fromany point along the line. Players are challenged more at this level todevelop muscle memory and refine accuracy with smaller zones that may beshot at using the right foot or the left foot. Practice to make both theleft and right foot accurate is a critical component of the system ofthe invention because it makes forwards and midfielders who commonlyshoot more versatile on the field.

In a slight variation of the configuration shown, vertical straps 404 aand 404 f may be shifted toward center goal another 6 inches to even upthe six rectangular target zones at each side of goal 100 making itsomewhat easier for the 9.1 or 9.2 level players at the designated levelto hit targets before moving to a next more stringent level of shotcomplexity.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of soccer goal 100 of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as advanced multiple level10.1 and or 10.2 players. This configuration employs only four verticalstraps referenced herein as straps 504 a through 504 d, and only twohorizontal straps 503 a and 503 b. The vertical straps 504 a-504 d areattached at one end to 101 and at the other to ground stakes or groundhooks as previously described in previous configurations. Horizontalstraps 503 a and 503 b are attached between vertical posts 107 a and 107b and held parallel with 101.

Horizontal strap 503 a is placed in this configuration about 32 inchesbelow the horizontal bar (101) and horizontal strap 503 b is placedabout 32 inches below the horizontal strap 503 a. Vertical straps 504 aand 504 b are placed at two feet from 107 a and five feet from 107 arespectively toward center goal. Vertical straps 504 d and 504 c areplaced at two feet from 107 b and five feet from 107 b respectivelytoward center goal. In this configuration, a center zone 505 is a noshoot zone and may also double as a space for advertising or displayinga team sponsorship logo or a montage of sponsor logos.

In one embodiment, the configuration may be modified for level 10.2players by providing a pair of mobile smaller vertical straps (notvisible) provided as an option for the purpose of creating smallertarget zones. The smaller vertical straps may be approximately 33 incheslong and may be placed in the center area of goal 100 and movedindependently from side to side as needed to create smaller target zonesto the left or to the right of goal center or at goal center of goal100. It may be noted that in this configuration each target zone createdmay be assumed a target whether fabric targets are attached to net 102in alignment with created zones or not. As a player improves andadvances levels and with more zones created actual targets which arehighly visible are not necessarily required in order to practice thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of soccer goal 100 of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as semi pro 4.2 players. Inthis configuration, there are two vertical straps 601 a and 601 b andtwo horizontal straps 604 a and 604 b. Vertical straps 601 a and 601 bare attached at one end to 101 and are attached to stakes or groundhooks at the other end. In this configuration, vertical strap 601 a isplaced at a distance of approximately four feet from goal post 107 a.Vertical strap 601 b is placed at a distance of four feet from goal post107 b. For different levels, or more difficult levels, the distance of601 a and 601 b from the goal posts 107 a and 107 b may be 2 feet or 2.5feet or even 3 feet. One embodiment may start at 4 feet and then shortenthe distance as the player masters each distance.

Horizontal strap 604 a is attached to post 107 a and 107 b residingthere between and may be set at 30 inches below the horizontal bar (101)of goal 100. Horizontal strap 604 b is attached to post 107 a and 107 bresiding there between and may be set approximately 30 inches aboveground level. Of nine rectangular zones created by this dissection, sixof the zones represent target zones in this embodiment. There are threetarget zones on the left of center of goal 100 and three more on theright of center.

In the six rectangular areas designated as target zones, there are sixtargets 603 a through 603 f attached to net 102 and disposed evenly onetarget per target zone wherein the targets are substantially centeredwithin each host zone. Like the previous configuration, the recommendedstart relative to place kicking distance may begin at approximately 35feet from goal line of goal 100 and may be gradually or incrementallymoved out to about 65 feet from the goal line of goal 100. Essentially,the object is similar to that of level 4.1 players with a difference inthat the target zones are much smaller. For example, vertical straps 601a and 601 b may be placed approximately two feet-to-two and one-halffeet from the respective vertical goal posts 107 a and 107 b. Thisconfiguration focuses on cross-to-far post shooting from the left or theright foot. Shots may also be placed to near post from either side aspart of the repetitive practice round.

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of soccer goal 100 of FIG. 1 with straps andtargets placed to guide players designated as master multiple levelplayers. In this configuration which represents the top tier of thepracticing system of the invention includes six vertical strapsreferenced herein as vertical straps 703 a through 703 f and twohorizontal straps referenced herein as horizontal straps 704 a and 704b.

Vertical straps 703 a through 703 f are attached at one end to thehorizontal cross bar (101) of goal 100 and at the other end to stakes orground hooks. Vertical straps 703 a, 703 b and 703 c are placed atapproximately two feet, seven and one-half feet, and ten and one-halffeet respectively away from vertical post 107 a while vertical straps703 f, 703 e and 703 d are placed at the same approximate distancesrespectively away from vertical post 107 b. As in FIG. 6, the distancefrom goal post 107 a and 107 b may be adjusted as required.Additionally, as can be seen in FIG. 7, targets 706 a-c and 706 i-k maybe placed on the side panels of net 102. Targets may also be placed onthe upper panel (not shown) of net 102.

Horizontal strap 704 a is attached to vertical post 107 a and 107 bresiding there between and set at approximately 30 inches below thehorizontal bar (101) and the other horizontal strap 704 b is attached to107 a and 107 b and resides there between and is spaced approximately 34inches below 704 a, both straps parallel to 101. There are eighteenpotential target zones created and one center zone created by thisdissection of the face of goal 100, the center zone occupied by a goaliepresence 710. The goalie presence 710 in the center zone may take theform of a live person acting as a present goalie, or as a silhouettegoalie attached to net 102 to give a life like perspective of a goaliefrom further out where master level players will be shooting from.

In this configuration, there are ten target zones five zones on eachside of center of goal 100. There are thirteen targets 706 a through 706m that are provided and disposed evenly at approximate center of eachtarget host zone and attached to net 102. This configuration representsa set up practice shooting target set that enables players to progressto master class in the area of shooting, preferably from either footshowing no bias for left or right.

As described above repetitively the placement distance of the ball fromthe goal line of goal 100 may start around 35 feet distant up toapproximately 65 feet worked gradually or incrementally such as inten-foot increments between sets of repeated shots at the same distance.The goal is the same at master level to build muscle memory to place theball effortlessly and decisively into the rectangles representing targetzones containing smaller targets or no targets if ordered.

In another embodiment of the invention, rather than attaching straps tothe frame (vertical posts and cross bar) and free ends of verticalstraps to the ground, net 102 may be adapted to be easily prepared withthe appropriate straps and targets attached to the net while spread overthe ground before attaching net 102 to the frame of goal 100. In avariation to this embodiment, net 102 may be attached to the frame ofgoal 100 and a user or player may apply the targets and vertical,horizontal, and diagonal straps directly to the net while the net is inplace vertically on the frame of goal 100.

In a preferred embodiment, the system of the invention may be connectedelectronically to a computer system, the unit including at least acomputer processing unit (CPU), a power source, and a set ofinstructions residing on a medium coupled to or otherwise residing onthe CPU that enables tracking of practice activity by players includingidentifying the players and their levels, and tracking the number ofshots, target hits and misses and the like. Electronic switches may beprovided and disposed behind the targets, the switches signaling to theCPU ad executed instruction set (SW) when hit wherein an accounting ofthe repeated hits per session or practice round are quantified.

The switch elements may communicate with the computer system, in oneembodiment using wireless communication capability such as Bluetooth.The switch elements might also be plug and play devices connected to acommunication board on the CPU by wire bundle. Other metrics of playerpractice activity may be re-strapped and or manually input into the CPUof the computer system locally or via remote communication from a mobiledevice such as a cellular telephone for example. In such an embodiment,a player setting up for practice may configure the net, connect, andactivate the targets, turn on the CPU and, in one embodiment may alsosend data to the CPU and receive data from the CPU using a personalcomputing device like a cellular phone or a notebook/tablet computerhaving wireless communication capability like Bluetooth.

In a variation of this embodiment, a video camera re-strapped may bepositioned behind the player to video the practice round of kickingshots. In one embodiment, the video system may send the video to the CPUfor further processing according to the instruction set executed on theCPU. Other sensors may be provided to re-strap other physical data thatmight be useful over simply whether targets are hit or missed. Forexample, a sensor may be provided and connected to the CPU thatre-straps or monitors wind direction and speed. A sensor might beprovided to detect the strike force of the ball against targets. Anothersensor might be provided and connected to the CPU for clocking ballspeed of each kick.

The system of the invention may include another video re-strapped, or asecond re-strapped positioned at the side of the player to re-strap thefoot placement and angle of the foot at the moment of contact with theball including the elevation of the contact point on the ball and reportthat to the CPU. In one embodiment of the invention, the data collectedand processed by the computing system connected to goal 100 may beretrieved by a player or pushed to the player from the CPU to a thinclient application operating on the players computing device allowingthe player to review video, read statistics, and chart improvement inspecific skills relative to skill levels.

It will be apparent with skill in the art that the soccer shootingtraining system of the present invention may be provided using some orall the elements described herein. The arrangement of elements andfunctionality thereof relative to the shooting training system of theinvention is described in different embodiments each of which is animplementation of the present invention. While the uses and methods aredescribed in enabling detail herein, it is to be noted that manyalterations could be made in the details of the construction and thearrangement of the elements without departing from the spirit and scopeof this invention. The present invention is limited only by the breadthof the claims below.

1. A training apparatus for place kicking in soccer comprising: a rigidgoal frame including a first vertical post, a second vertical postspaced apart and connected at the tops to a horizontal cross bar; asoccer netting attached to the first and second vertical posts and tothe horizontal cross bar; two or more vertical straps attached at oneend to the cross bar and staked to the ground at the opposite endsthereof; two or more diagonal and or horizontal straps attached to thefirst and second vertical posts and residing there between; and two ormore visible targets strategically attached to the soccer netting;wherein the two or more vertical straps and the two or more horizontalstraps intersect to create multiple visible target zones, the two ormore targets attached strategically to the soccer netting within thevisible footprints of individual ones or a plurality of the createdtarget zones.
 2. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigidgoal frame is a rectangular structure of a regulation size relative towidth dimension and height dimension for representing a soccer goalframe.
 3. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the soccer nettingis attached to the first and second vertical posts and to the horizontalcross bar at multiple attachment locations provided linearly and inequal spacing around the rectangular frame.
 4. The training apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the rigid goal frame is fabricated of a polymermaterial or a metallic material and the soccer netting is fabricated ofa polymer material or a fabric material.
 5. The training apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the two or more vertical straps are staked to theground with ground hooks or stakes.
 6. The training apparatus of claim1, wherein the two or more vertical straps are strategically positionedalong the span of the horizontal cross bar, the cross bar havingmultiple attachment points arranged linearly and equally spaced apartacross the span of the cross bar.
 7. The training apparatus of claim 1,wherein the two or more horizontal straps are strategically positionedalong the vertical span of the first and second vertical posts, thevertical posts having multiple attachment points arranged linearly andequally spaced apart across the vertical span of the first and secondvertical posts.
 8. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two ormore visible targets include larger targets and smaller targets.
 9. Thetraining apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two or more visible targetsare fabricated from a polymer material or a fabric material.
 10. Thetraining apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a computerizedprocessing unit (CPU), a power source, and a set of instructionsresiding on a medium coupled to or otherwise residing on the CPU, andmultiple strike sensors or switches connected one per to the two or moretargets, the sensors or switches communicating to the CPU when triggeredby a ball strike using a wireless network or through multiple wires ortraces connecting the sensors or switches to the CPU.
 11. The trainingapparatus of claim 10, further comprising a first video camerapositioned behind a player in front of the training apparatus, the firstcamera re-strapping video of the player taking shots on goal and sendingthe video or at least metrics of motion in the video to the CPU using awireless network or a communication cable.
 12. The training apparatus ofclaim 11, further including a second video camera positioned to one sideor the other side of the player in front of the training apparatus, thesecond camera re-strapping video of the player taking shots on goal andsending the video or at least metrics of motion in the video to the CPUusing a wireless network or a communication cable.
 13. The trainingapparatus of claim 11, wherein the metrics of motion include trajectory,distance, and ball speed.
 14. The training apparatus of claim 12,wherein the metrics of motion include foot angle of the player andelevation of the point of contact of the players foot to the ballrelative to ball dimensions, and foot placement.
 15. The trainingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the two or more vertical, diagonal, andhorizontal straps are attachable to the soccer netting as an optionother than direct attachment to the rigid goal frame.
 16. A method forpracticing target place kicking of at least one soccer ball toward asoccer training apparatus, the apparatus including a rigid goal frameand a net attachable across the frame, the net and or frame supportingtwo or more modular and position-adjustable cords placed vertically,horizontally, and or diagonally across the frame creating two or moretarget zones containing one or more targets attached to the net withinone or more of the created target zones including; (a) securing the net,the cords, and the targets in desired positions for use; (b) placing atleast one soccer ball on the field at a first known distance from thegoal frame; (c) kicking the at least one soccer ball aiming for a targetwithin a zone from the point of placement; (d) logging strikes andotherwise recording the activity; (e) placing the at least one soccerball at a second known distance from the goal frame, the second distancefurther away from the frame than the first distance; (f) repeat (c) and(d) relative to the second distance; (g) placing the at least one soccerball at a third known distance from the goal frame, the third distancefurther away from the frame than the second distance; (h) repeat (c) and(d) relative to the third distance.
 17. The method of claim 16, whereinin (a) the number of cords and targets secured in place is dependent atleast in part on the level of skill of the kicker of the soccer ball.18. The method of claim 16, wherein in (b) there are more than onesoccer balls placed at the first, second, and third known distances, theballs spaced apart to the right side, center, and left side of thetraining apparatus.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein in (b) the firstdistance is six yards from frame, in (e) the second distance is twelveyards from frame, and in (g) the third distance is eighteen yards fromframe.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein in (d) recording may beperformed electronically using one or more video cameras placed behindand or at the side of the kicker, and logging strikes may be performedelectronically using a computer processing unit (CPU) having leadsconnected to or otherwise wirelessly networked with sensors or switchesattached to or embedded in the targets.